His Santana era is less shred. His back and forth with Carlos on this is good stuff. He was 16-17!
Probably the best example of his Santana era soloing.
Caravanserai is the most underrated rock album ever imo.
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Also I think both Jeff Watson and Brad Gillis are too much on the cusp too now that I think of it. So you deff already treaded that line early,
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How many Jeff Beck solos am I allowed to post? I’ll start with this…
I absolutely love Ritchie Blackmore’s playing in Rainbow
This might be my favourite solo by David Gilmour
And this is the reason I started playing the guitar in the first place
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I was considering him an early shredder but if we aren’t. This solo is unreal for 1970.
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Honestly, I have no idea what counts as “shred” anymore.
Does Scott Henderson count? What about Mark Knopfler? Is he too fast? Gary Moore?
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Slippery slope for sure. I already mentioned Gary above as being a step too over that line, especially if you are going to start including someone like Neil Schon. Same with John Sykes or even Vivian Campbell who played one of the solos I mentioned above.
When I made the thread I was specifically thinking “non-shred genre” so, not neo-classical or death metal etc.
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Dang it, this is tough.
Anything by Jeff Beck. Dude was the best rock guitarist ever!
Anything by Jimmy Page! Jimmy rules!
Anything by Ritchie Blackmore! faaaaack Ritchie was sooo good! Plus, he came with a rotten attitude! lol
Anything by Tony Iommi - completely underrated guitarist in my mind - his lead stuff is great and in particular I just love what he did when Ronnie Dio was in the band…
Anything by Kieth and Ron of the Stones
Anything by Alex Lifeson
Anything by Derek Trucks
Anything by Angus Young
Anything by SRV
Anything by Lenny Breau
Anything by Les Paul
Anything by Chet Atkins
Everything by Tool - I am a big fan of his ability to “not” play guitar solos…
Bach - I am a huge fan. Not sure he was a shredder, 'cause he wrote all of his stuff for the greater glory of God…
Actual songs ummm
“Would” and “Them” By Alice in Chains
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Heart Shaped Box” By Nirvana
“Confidence Man” Jeff Healy
“Magic Man” Heart
“Surprise You’re Dead” Faith No More (I love Jim Martin’s guitar sound! Dry AF!)
“So What” Miles Davis Not guitar but I just absolutely love this solo…
Every song on “Thunder Seven” By Triumph - Rik Emmet really kicks ass without being a “shredder”
Ummm Every Iron Maiden song up featuring Dave and Adrian, I can’t get into Mr Gers… (Sorry)
Okay, I am starting to see a pattern. I had best stop here…
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Okay screw it, I see where this thread is going…
…And that’s just over that line
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Well someone had to do it…lol!
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Love the intro volume swells in this one and the way it builds
I’m a simple man, you play phyrigian dominant and it gets put in my top lists.
This highlights my favorite aspect of his playing he’s a master at drawing the listeners attention by starting solos in very unique ways. The harmonic in this being a good example.
+1000 for the Tolkien reference +10 for the cool phrasing in this one.
I could write a near doctoral thesis on this song alone and the way the solos perfectly relate to the emotions the protagonist goes through in the song. Especially the ones in “Presentation” and “Soliloquy”
Might be the most underrated blues based soloist simply cause no one thinks of him as such and since he objectively wrote the most good riffs per capita of any guitarist in history his leads get ignored.
I still cannot play trills as flawlessly as this man
Obviously he incorporated more speedy “shreddier” playing later on.
This one is later Iommi perfection and I will not stop singing it’s praises until everyone has heard it.
Speaking of people who went from non shred to shred.
Tipton’s solo in this is flawless.
But this begs the question what’s the true borderline between shred and not shred. Where do things like this fall? The shredification of rock solos in the late 80s was just such a great time for music.
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I have to give a shout out to Elliot Easton’s soloing in The Cars. Love this tune in general…
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All of your Queen submissions made me realize I forgot to mention my favorite Queen solo.
Just about everything he did had such a perfect placement of notes. Obviously amazing tone that’s unique to him. I love how in this one, when he gets to the 3 part harmonies he goes polyphonic. I can’t think of another rock player that went beyond simple 2 part lead harmonies like Brian did, where we’d regularly get 3 and 4 (and more) parts, still with great voice leading and not just doubling parts. But, I guess when you have a phD in astrophysics, a little music theory ain’t exactly rocket science lol
Oh, great choice! Such a catchy solo. Awesome song.
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I just realized Sultans of Swing isn’t on here. Those solos and licks all throughout are so cool and IMO that tune wouldn’t be a classic without it. Contrast that with something like Stairway to Heaven which didn’t actually need the solo (still glad they decided to do one of course) and would be just as much a classic without it.
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Shawn Lane: not normally associated with non-shred, but the lyricism of this, along with the textural contributions of Lane, are just wonderful.
I just haven’t done my Knopfler post yet…
This song is such an absolute masterpiece and the leads are unreal.
Arguably him at his best.
My favorite Brothers in Arms version, complete with an amazing organ solo and Paul Franklin ripping it up on the pedal steel. Knopfler’s solo at the end is great stuff.
Two always at the top of my list…
Ken-
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Rothery is underrated
I love the melodicism and the way this one is composed.
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I agree with Hotel California, Queen, etc. But White Lion isn’t really shred… check out 2:22
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Wow, do I get to put the first Ace solo in the thread? My god, that guy is underrated, and this is the ultimate “non-shred” solo; just a few notes but the control over vibrato and pitch, including intentionally bending between pitches, is amazing. So exposed, this is not easy to play well. No time stamp, it won’t kill y’all to listen to the minute and 53 seconds of song to set the mood . . . ; )
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